This week there was a lot more bad news for the economic recovery. Although some companies reported huge profits, the overall conclusion is the U.S. economy is sputtering, and there could be even more lay offs. For those of us already unemployed the hopes of finding work seems to be fading even more, and those […]
The July – August edition of Psychology Today (psychologytoday.com) has an article on six office top gripes and how to fix them. The six topics chosen are: Procrastination; Difficult Boss; Really Difficult Boss; Projects not going well; Feeling Negative; and Working too many hours. I am not sure how they came up with the list. […]
Perhaps the best definition of closing a deal is when a commitment is made. The classic business definition is when money changes hands, but in our careers and life in general we make a lot of deals that do not involve money. Deals are a social concept where one side gives some thing in exchange […]
This week there seemed to be a lot of questions regarding resumes, applications and CVs. What was unusual this week is most of the questions were about getting caught in a lie. The biggest culprit was grades. Some added a few points to their grade point average. Others just flat out copied the scores from […]
This is the Fourth of July weekend, and the day the United States celebrates its birth as an independent nation. This may be a good time to reflect on the state of the national and global economy, and its impact on your career. One of my favorite lines is from the beginning of the Tale […]
This week I responded to a question posted on answer.yahoo.com. The question read; “My new boss has told me and my other 2 colleagues that she is going to change our job titles as its not working for the private hospital we work in. Our titles are Team Leaders and she wants to change it […]
I recently received a request for advice on selecting a postgraduate course of study. My colleague, who I met though Yahoo.answers.com, has an under graduate degree in accounting and, is currently employed by a small accounting firm. Recently he enrolled in PGDIBO (Post graduate diploma in International Business Operation) at IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open […]
Last week I was talking with a 19 year old, about what he wants to do now he has been out of high school for a couple of years. He currently works with his uncle in construction part time; works pizza delivery, and is a temporary Census worker. He is bright guy with a good […]
In an attempt to keep a finger on the pulse of the workplace and honing my skill as a mentor, I participate in yahoo answers Yahoo Answers as the PracticaL Mentor. Perhaps it is the season for graduation, but there are a lot of people asking how to choose a career or advice of choosing […]
High schools and colleges are having commencement ceremonies as thousands of young graduates leave the comforts of school for the real world. Many graduates have developed strategic plan for their careers, while others are struggling to figure out what to do next. Many students believe that something magical happens when they graduate to conjuror up […]
It is the time of year when Colleges and Universities are in the midst of graduating the new crop of job seekers with degrees in almost every conceivable major. Unfortunately most are joining the ranks of the unemployed with the added disadvantage of no work experience. Work experience sometimes appears as insurmountable obstacle or catch […]
The time, energy and expense of getting to and from work appears to be assets down a rabbit hole. Although some try to put a positive spin on it, very few workers like their commute. As commuting time and expenses increase the more it impacts our quality of life. Is there anything we can do […]
Good job with great benefits, nice place by the ocean, active social life with lots of friends, what more could you want? Isn’t it everyone’s dream to be financially secure, live in a nice house, and have lots friends? The term “golden handcuffs” is often used to describe a state where apparent benefits hold us […]
There are a lot of articles floating on the web questioning the value of a college degree. Several try to answer the question of the value of your degree based on earning power versus cost. The rational is that as the cost of attending college rises, the financial burden may negate the benefits of a […]
It’s a slow day in a small West Virginia town. The sun is beating down, and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit. On this particular day a rich tourist from out west is driving through town. He stops at the motel and lays a $100 […]
Every office has one. The person who comes in first and leaves last, accomplishes little or nothing, and professes to be the office go-to person. Their omnipresence makes them appear as superstars. How do you compete with work aholics? The first task is to properly identify these tactics and learn the pattern. There are several […]
Are you a good negotiator? Most of us have been negotiating since we were toddlers making deals with our parents to get what we want. Our negotiating skills continue develop with our interactions with others, and our confidence grows the more we successfully obtain our objectives. However, how do we do against a skilled negotiator? […]
For the past couple of weeks I have been advising a young person who moved to a new area and was looking for a new job. She had an impressive resume and is very good at preparing and presenting herself at interviews. Although we did discuss some ways to phrase touchy interview questions, such as […]
Opportunity often appears at the worst times and in the strangest places. Sometimes they are disguised and hard to recognize. For example, one day I got on the elevator at work to go down from the seventh floor for lunch. The car was empty and I thought I might have a chance for a non-stop […]
Most of us talk a good game of wanting to climb the corporate ladder and assume leadership roles. We discuss education, skill sets, and career strategies to achieve our goals. For most of us our strategies never seem to achieve our objectives. In many cases we choose too narrow of a career path to follow. […]